Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 10, 2026

Constructing Mutants in Serotype 1 Streptococcus pneumoniae strain 519/43
06:06

Constructing Mutants in Serotype 1 Streptococcus pneumoniae strain 519/43

Published on: September 11, 2020

Identification of an erm(A) erythromycin resistance methylase gene in Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated in Greece

G A Syrogiannopoulos1, I N Grivea, A Tait-Kamradt

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, General University Hospital, University of Patras, School of Medicine, Patras, Greece. syrogian@med.upatras.gr

Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy
|December 20, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Erythromycin resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae is linked to the erm(A) gene, a first for this bacterium. This finding impacts understanding of antibiotic resistance mechanisms in pneumococci.

Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Genetics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Streptococcus pneumoniae is a significant human pathogen.
  • Antibiotic resistance in S. pneumoniae is a growing public health concern.
  • Erythromycin resistance is often mediated by methylase genes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify the genetic basis of erythromycin resistance in a specific S. pneumoniae clone.
  • To characterize the erm(A) gene in pneumococci.

Main Methods:

  • Isolation of erythromycin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 11A from Greek carriers.
  • Nucleotide sequencing to identify the resistance gene.
  • Phenotypic characterization of macrolide and clindamycin resistance.

Main Results:

  • The erm(A) methylase gene was identified in the erythromycin-resistant S. pneumoniae.
  • Pneumococci carrying erm(A) exhibited resistance to 14- and 15-member macrolides.
  • Inducible clindamycin resistance and susceptibility to streptogramin B were observed.

Conclusions:

  • This is the first report of erythromycin resistance in S. pneumoniae solely due to the erm(A) gene.
  • The erm(A) gene contributes to macrolide-Streptogramin B resistance phenotypes in pneumococci.
  • Findings highlight the genetic diversity of antibiotic resistance mechanisms in S. pneumoniae.

More Related Videos

The Logic, Experimental Steps, and Potential of Heterologous Natural Product Biosynthesis Featuring the Complex Antibiotic Erythromycin A Produced Through E. coli10:41

The Logic, Experimental Steps, and Potential of Heterologous Natural Product Biosynthesis Featuring the Complex Antibiotic Erythromycin A Produced Through E. coli

Published on: January 13, 2013

Related Concept Videos

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA01:25

Mechanism of Antibiotic Resistance in MRSA

Antibiotic resistance in bacteria arises when microorganisms evolve the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them or inhibit their growth, rendering once-effective treatments useless. This phenomenon, driven by genetic change and selection under antibiotic exposure, poses a profound threat to modern medicine. Mechanisms include drug-inactivating enzymes (e.g., β-lactamases), efflux pumps that eject antibiotics, mutations altering antibiotic targets, decreased drug uptake, and acquisition...
Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance01:25

Clinical Significance of Antibiotic Resistance

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) presents a critical public health threat, arising from its capacity to resist β-lactam antibiotics due to acquisition of the mecA gene within the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). This gene encodes penicillin-binding protein 2a (PBP2a), which impairs binding efficacy of methicillin and other β-lactams. MRSA has evolved into distinct clonal lineages impacting humans and animals alike, reinforcing its significance within the One...